


Pride will cost you everything.

by Cospcoogweell



Series: Grace in the Wastes [4]
Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Character Death, Crucifixion, Dreams, F/M, Psychological Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Tags Contain Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 06:26:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13653318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cospcoogweell/pseuds/Cospcoogweell
Summary: In which Grace makes a mistake and there are consequences.





	1. Chapter 1

The Courier was proud, a woman high up on her pedestal it had only made her fall harder. Normally her little group of misfits did quite well when they went out on a mission. Talk around the campfire claimed that they were unstoppable. The whispers had reached Caesar that some were saying if anyone was the child of the God of War it was Courier Six. Those men had quickly lost the ability to whisper anything. Perhaps allowing them to see that they had been wrong would have been a better course of action. The Courier and her team were not unstoppable. The proof lay before Vulpes Inculta.

The Courier's plan to attack Cottonwood Cove had been discovered in time for preparations to be made. The first mistake was that she had chosen to resupply with an NCR merchant who was truly a Frumentarius. The amount of supplies she had gathered had clued them in that she was planning something big. Watching her movements had been another clue. When the patrol near Camp Searchlight reported that the Courier had recovered the dogtags of soldiers who had become feral ghouls so that there would be closure it had become fairly obvious what the Courier had planned. She was coming for them, perhaps to simply attack Cottonwood Cove but possibly the Fort as well. They had little time to rally, but Vulpes and Caesar knew how to strategize.

If they had supplemented their numbers with NCR troops then they very well could have won. However it was just the Courier and her small team. It hand not gone like Nelson.

Not that they had not suffered losses, but legionaries were replaceable. Those who fell on the Courier's side were far more devastating a blow.

For a moment it had seemed Grace had been among the fallen. Vulpes would have personally scourged the man responsible had that been the case. Vulpes was the fourth most powerful man in the Legion and for his loyalty should it be possible to take Grace alive then he would be allowed to take her as a slave. A fitting reward, one he was eager to claim.

As it turned out Grace was not dead. Hurt, badly but not dead. The Doctor had rushed to her side kneeling over her and the relife on his face had been clear even from Vulpes' position.

A man with armed with a super sledge had caught her off guard. He had clipped her head, clearly caught up in the moment of the battle because it was known that Vulpes wanted the woman alive.

The blow had broke her glasses and sent her red first recon beret flying into the dust. Grace had crumpled like a house of cards and not gotten back up. 

The first to truely to fall had been the Nightkin, Lily they had called it. The sight of Grace going down had sent the beast into a frenzy. It had mowed down a number of legionaries before it had been brought down in a coordinated hail of gunfire. By the time it had dropped the Nightkin looked more red than purple.

After the Nightkin it was the ghoul. He had been covering the Doctor who was very galiantly trying to get Grace off the battlefield. Vulpes had personally driven his Ripper into the ghoul's chest.

"Raul!"

Veronica had screamed, a distraction that had been costly. Aurelius of Phoenix had slammed the hilt of his machete gladius into the back of her head knocking the young brotherhood member out cold. Likely he sought to be rewarded with one of the Courier's female companions for what he contributed to this battle.

Vulpes abandoned the Ripper lodged into the ghoul's sternum and continued the advance. He lifted a 9mm submachine gun and sent a wave a bullets in the direction of the fleeing Doctor and drunk. He managed to take out one of Doctor Gannon's legs sending the tall blonde man to the ground spilling Grace off of his shoulder. 

Next to Vulpeps a Vexillarii's head exploded in a wave of gore. The sniper. A grin spread across Vulpes' features, he wondered if the brooding crack shot thought that Vuples had been the man in the coyote hood.

Where ever the Sniper was bunkered down he would be trouble. Getting Grace back to the Fort would be hard when Boone was going to be covering her. A glance to where Grace had fallen showed that Cassidy was trying to get to both the Doctor and Grace. A bullet storm kept the red haired woman in cover unable to reach her friends. The Doctor was using some sort of stim on his crippled leg. Caesar had requested the Doctor be brought to him, likely to help deal with his headaches. It would have been simpler to kill the man but they would do as their Lord commanded when possible.

"Grenades."

The men threw a number of grenades. The goal was to kick up enough dust that the Sniper would not be able to get a clear shot. In the chaos of the explosions someone of something hit Cassidy. The red head crumpled and honestly Vulpes did not care if she were alive or dead. They pressed their advantage, the Doctor clever as he was surrendered when he was offered the opportunity. 

One of the grenades sent out an EMP that brought down the Eyebot which was cut to pieces with a thermic lance. The robotic dog went on the fritz due to the pulse a weighted net tossed on the animal was intended to keep it down. Antony had noticed the dog and wanted to add it to the rest of his Mongrels.

"Bind them and then bring the Courier, Doctor, and Cassidy to the Fort if she is alive. The Brotherhood girl can go to the pens for now. No one is to touch her, see to it a priestess looks her over."

An angry bellow came from the still settling dust. Boone had abandoned his sniper rifle and charged with a machete. He cut down a few legion men caught by surprise before he was subdued. Brave or foolish Vuples was not certain. Perhaps he was simply afraid to die alone.

"Bring the NCR dog along as well."

Vulpes continued his commands as if he had never been interrupted looking with disdain in the direction of the sniper.

He turned walking off with a small grin. Those lost were worth what had been gained. This was a blow against the NCR, and Vuples got Grace. He would have her doctor friend look her over when they reached the Fort to make sure she would recover from her injuries. And then he would get what he had been dreaming of.


	2. Chapter 2

Cassidy had indeed survived the ordeal and was placed in a pen the opposite side of the river from Veronica. Vulpes had pointed out that keeping them as far apart as possible was for the best. Should any of their group remain together they would likely try to make some sort of escape plan. Currently the only ones together were Doctor Gannon and Grace.

"Sprinkling healing powder around like pixie dust is not going to do anything for her. I need chems if she is going to live."

The Doctor stood defiant staring down Vulpes. His blonde hair was wild and he was dirtier than Vulpes had ever seen him. He seemed focused, unafraid. For a degenerate he showed an impressive amount of dedication to his friend and patient.

"You will receive confiscated supplies Doctor. I do suggest that you mind your tongue, you do not need it to treat injuries after all." 

Had there been anyone else been inside the tent the Doctor's attitude would have been a larger issue. For now Vulpes did not care he simply wanted to see that Grace was treated, and he was right. Healing powder had many faults and limitations. The snark would be dealt with later. Vulpes turned and leaned out of his tent shouting orders in latin. Arcade knelt down beside Grace as Vulpes looked on.

"Grace? Can you hear me?"

Arcade was very careful in his handling of the unconscious woman. He reached to her bound wrists and started to look over her Pip-boy.

"What are you doing?"

Arcade sighed scrolling through settings as he had seen Grace do countless times.

"I have no way to access her situation with no tools. Her Pip-boy will give me information."

Arcade frowned as he looked over the screen. He sat back and gave very gentle touch to Grace's forehead pushing her hair back out of her face.

"Well?"

Arcade could not think of time he had wanted to hurt someone more. Not even kill, he just wanted Vulpes to hurt worse than he could even comprehend.

"She is barely holding on," despite being warned Arcade could not keep the venom out of his voice. "Her head is crippled and she is lucky to be alive."

The arrival of the chems was a welcome sight. Vulpes took the box and set it beside Grace kneeling to look over the Pip-boy as well. He had seen Grace fiddle with it from time to time and had heard about the abilities of the piece of Old World tech in his travels.

Arcade looked to the box, it was full of Med-X, Stimpaks, Rebound, Steady, and Buffout. Arcade dragged a finger over one of the syringes of Med-X. There was more than enough there to end things. It made him feel sick to even consider it, but life as a Legion slave was hard for anyone. For Grace it would likely be even worse after all she had done to hinder the Legion while aiding the NCR. 

He would likely be able to get away with it, Grace was small it would not take too much. 

"I believe using this device I can handle things."

Arcade looked up to Vulpes who had pulled the box over to him. Perhaps having guessed Arcade's intentions.

"If you give her the wrong thing..."

"I have dealt with chems while undercover. I will be administering two Stimpacks and a half dose of Hydra."

"A half dose?"

The smile Vulpes gave was chilling.

"A half dose will heal quite a bit, but leave enough damage that she will remain... docile for a time."

Vulpes' fingers danced down the arm exposed by Grace's lightweight leather armor. The way he touched her made Arcade stiffen. Such a touch should have been innocent, medial given the situation. The way that Vulpes touched Grace though, even such a small light touch it was easy to see how much he was enjoying it. 

"Cato. Please come see to it that the Doctor finds his pen."

The man who entered the tent was large. Likely chosen because of Arcade's height. For half a second he seemed ready to fight. He could have dived for the box and grabbed something with a needle, jabbed it into Inculta's eye. The Legion had the girls though, all of them and Boone. If any one would have been able to escape the Legion it would be their group. If everyone could just keep their heads down for a time.

Vulpes watched as the Doctor was lead away before looking down to Grace. He pulled two Stimpacks from the box and then got a dose of Hydra from his own personal store. He gave her both Stimpacks and then very carefully have her half the Hydra. Sitting beside her he looked to her Pip-boy watching as her stats slowly improved. 

Cato quickly returned and Vulpes stood.

"No one enters this tent."

Vulpes had an important matter to attend to. As well as an order to see Caesar. He would deal with both things quickly and return to Grace.

Vulpes returned maybe fifteen minutes later. He could see her breathing grew stronger, more steady with the rise and fall of her chest. With a grin he sat beside her again. He did not mind sitting there watching Grace as the chems took effect, being able to watch her with no interuptions was nice.

Leaning down he watched the color return to Grace's face, she was still dirty from the tumbles to the ground she had taken but she was beginning to look more herself. He slid a hand into her hair feeling the silken strands slide between his fingers. He had noticed on the Strip that her hair was not simply black it had a more chocolate tone to it. Softer than simply an inky black. You simply had to be in the right lighting to notice.

She smelt like broc flowers he noticed, campfire and blood lingered as well. It made him want to bury his face into her neck and breath only her.

"Grace."

His voice was low and that she still did not stir made him think to give her some more chems. 

"Grace." 

He leaned over her whispering into her ear. This time she gave a small twitch.

He enjoyed the way her name sounded on his lips. Typically a Legion slave was given a new name, it aided in removing their old identity. Vulpes had thought on the latin name he would give Grace when she was finally his. There were many that could suit her, but he liked Grace. Perhaps that would be their secret, in the privacy of his tent her would continue to call her Grace. 

Her eyes gave a flutter, she was coming to. Good.

Vulpus stood lifting Grace pulling her up over his shoulder. She hung a bit limp but he could feel that she was starting to move. Which was wonderful.

He wanted her reaction for what was to come seen.


End file.
